Chelsea transfer news: The latest Blues media watch from Stamford Bridge with reaction to stories on Lewis Hall, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Mauricio Pochettino’s demands.

Chelsea’s squad is better and more equipped than it was last season, that is nearly undoubted, but the effect of stockpiling players over that period is only just starting to have fresh impacts.

It is almost paradoxical to say that the incomings have been brilliant and transformative over what could be both short and long-term, but yet are also damaging a key part to the club. If there is no pathway to show the youth of today and tomorrow then what use is the pathway at all?

For Reece James to be captain, Levi Colwill to be a key player and Conor Gallagher to play 90 minutes on the opening day is not enough for a name that has produced Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Michael Olise, Tammy Abraham and Jamal Musiala in total or in part over the past, I don’t know, 15 years.

This as a selection of a talent pool nearly unprecedented at the top level but it is also an issue. How to convince such a volume of players that remaining is the right idea? Well, not signing Marc Cucurella for £60million ($72m) when Lewis Hall and Ian Maatsen are in the works would help.

And here is the first point. Hall is on his way out, potentially on loan for a season, and it makes no sense. Crystal Palace were believed to be close to signing the player on loan for a season with him ready to commit to six more years at Stamford Bridge with an option to extend that another season.

However, the deal is not yet done, Chelsea and Palace are in talks over the transfer of Olise back to SW6 and Newcastle are ready to swoop in for Hall. It’s not the first time he has been linked with a move to the northeast and Eddie Howe has already acquired former Blues academy ace Tino Livramento this summer, but it is a concern.

football.london says: If Chelsea had taken a second to think last summer then they wouldn’t be in this mess. Hall and Maatsen are two of the most promising and versatile players in their position – also capable of operating in midfield – but will find it hard to get consistent minutes due to Cucurella.

Who is paying for a player that has just come off the back of a disastrous season and is on big wages? Nobody really. Chelsea will do well to offload him even if they want to and it’s blocking the whole system and putting the future at stake. A loan for Hall makes sense if it’s possible but anything more and it’s nothing short of a giant blunder.

Even for Todd Boehly’s largely hit-and-miss strategy so far this would be one of the biggest mistakes. Hall and Maatsen would be in contention to play across the team as a back-up and competition in multiple positions had the recruitment last summer been tighter but now they’re waiting and in modern football standing still is going backwards.

Hall frankly cannot be allowed to go on a permanent deal and it would be unforgivable to lose him.

Hall is the future but his teammate last season, Kepa Arrizabalaga is comfortably in the past. After completing a loan deal to take him to Real Madrid in one of the most unexpected transfers of the summer, Chelsea can finally think about life after their record buy for a goalkeeper.

Upon his arrival at Los Blancos, a deal which it seems even the 28-year-old himself can hardly believe, Kepa said: “I hope that with my performances Real Madrid will decide to keep me after the loan. This club is legendary.”

He added: “I’m very proud to be at Real Madrid. I would like to send a message of support to Thibaut, Eder [Militao] and Arda [Guler] and I wish them a speedy recovery because injuries are the most difficult thing in our careers.

“This is one of the most important and special days of my sporting career and of my life. I’m very proud to be at Real Madrid. I’ll never be short of hard work, commitment and effort with this jersey both in training and in matches. I hope that we can further add to Madrid’s trophy cabinet and enrich the club’s legend. Hala Madrid!”

Chelsea fans who have seen Kepa struggle for top form over five years in London may well be hoping he finds his calling and earns himself a move as well.

football.london says: There’s a deep-rooted issue to this. Chelsea will have one-year left on their deal with Kepa when he returns next summer. Be that in a position to negotiate a permanent transfer to Madrid or not – we hazard a guess that it won’t be due to Thibaut Courtois’ standing and overarching quality – their bargaining position is weak.

Chelsea do not want contracts to get to within two years of expiry if it can be helped but with Kepa they weren’t likely to get a permanent offer this summer even after his best season personally, that is part of the issue. Kepa, who cost £72million ($91m) in 2018, has never proven himself to be worth even close to that type of money.

Nothing the Blues have done in the past few years has indicated they are attempting to get any sort of substantial return on that fee but in 12 months, if he is in any position to be worthy of another grand European move then they will not be in a bargaining situation to make the most of it.

At this stage it hardly seems worthwhile worrying about but come June 2024 the feeling might be quite different.